


Inspirational Foliage

by sanctum_c



Series: Clerith Month 2017 [16]
Category: Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cacti - Freeform, Carnivorous Plants, F/M, First Dates, Florists, Inspiration, Plants, Writer's Block, Writers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-14
Updated: 2017-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-18 09:13:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28740822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanctum_c/pseuds/sanctum_c
Summary: Aeris finds a flower shop while exploring the city.
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife
Series: Clerith Month 2017 [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2009509
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	Inspirational Foliage

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the prompt 'Flower Shop'. Thanks to nautilusopus for naming Aeris's second plant in this. (Also the tumblr post about using plants to animate skeletons)

Aeris spotted the flower shop during one of her early, explorative wanders through the city that was now her home. Plants; something she had not considered before. Maybe she could get something for her still somewhat spartan apartment. "Hi," the man behind the counter said when she closed the door behind her. She replied in kind, gaze lingering on him. He had blue eyes and blond spiky hair; not the typical florist look. The man lifted his head, caught her gaze for a moment and right went back to arranging flowers in a vase. Aeris shot him a smile when he glanced back again and then she began wandering the interior.

She paused beside different flowers when they caught her attention. The chaotic blend of floral scents was quite intoxicating and the owner (was he the owner?) was able to answer all her questions without hesitation when she called them out. He did, however, look a little shocked when she returned to the counter with a cactus. "Unusual choice."

Aeris shrugged. "Flowers never last all that long. Don't get me wrong," she added quickly when the man's face fell a little. "I love flowers. But right now I felt like something a bit different. Something resilient."

The man shrugged, handed over her change, put the cactus in a paper bag, and bid her a good day.

* * *

The cactus looked good on Aeris’s window sill. The plant was amazingly low maintenance and, in an additional plus, remained green all year around. Two weeks later she passed by the same flower shop on a different errand, and, on a whim, went in again. She and the man exchanged pleasantries - and like last time, she wandered the shop seeing what would take her fancy. This time she settled on one of the varieties of insect eating plant; the type with a hinged jaw formed of two semi-circle sections, green on the outside; red on the inside. Also not what the man expected, but again he merely shrugged. This plant - technically some complex plant name in a dead language - Aeris decided to call Chomp Daisy much to the man’s bemusement.

Aeris sat Chomp Daisy on the window sill beside the cactus. She singularly failed to attract any flies no matter how many buzzed through Aeris’s home as the seasons shifted towards summer. Or at least CD never managed to catch any when she was watching. Did she need to feed it herself if it did not catch anything? Something to find out at some point. Maybe the guy in the flower shop would know. Next time she found herself in the vicinity she would ask. For now the plant served its purpose; Aeris spent a few moments each day admiring her growing plant collection. Each time she would rouse herself after having procrastinated quite enough and set to work on continuing her novel.

* * *

Aeris double-took while out food shopping about a month later. The man with the blond hair and the blue eyes, that same one from the flower shop, was in the supermarket. In the frozen food section. Buying a whole bunch of microwaveable meals for one. Aeris grinned and nudged into him as he stepped back from the fridge unit. "Hi there."

The man blinked at her. "Oh, hi. Cactus lady."

"Cactus lady?" She considered him for a moment.

“Chomp Daisy Owner then?” he grinned.

Aeris shrugged. "I think the first is slightly better. Not terrible at least. How's your business going?"

"Pretty well," he said nodding. "People always need flowers. Well," he said after a pause. "They don't necessarily need flowers, but there are plenty of occasions when they're called for."

"So you're doing pretty well," Aeris said. The man nodded. "Glad to hear it."

"How about you? Whatever it is that you do?" the man asked.

"Ah, I write." She mimed tapping at a keyboard and sauntered away to pluck something random from the nearest shelf, the man keeping pace with her. "Some days it goes well, some days not so good."

The man was silent a moment. "What kind of days are they when you come to my shop?"

"Those are the bad days." That answer seemed to concern him. "But they help with the good days. Both times when I bought a plant, I took it home and I was able to write some more right away. Admittedly I think the walk helps too, but the plants are helpful to stare at while I think. Maybe the more plants, the better or faster I’ll write." About a necromancer resurrecting various skeletons - including dragons - by controlling plants to bind the bones together and her quest to overthrow the corrupt rulers of her land. Still very much a work in progress.

"Glad I could help out," the man said a little uncertain of himself. "Or at least, glad my plants could."

"Both have been very helpful, thank you." Aeris bowed. A quick glance around; no one close to them right this second. "There is something else you could help me with. You can say no if you want, and in any case I'm still going to patronize your shop - like I said it helps me - but... I've not been in the area that long and I'm still learning where everything is. I mean, I know where your shop is and this place and some touristy destinations. But not much else. Any chance you could show me around at all? Maybe join me for dinner or something?"

The man's eyes widened. "Like a date?"

She smiled, a pleasurable jolt shooting through her. "That depends on how the dinner goes. But maybe." That got a smile out of him. "Is that a yes then?"

"Sure."

"Good." She offered him her hand. "I'm Aeris."

"Cloud," he replied and took her hand.


End file.
